Method of making over-all bottle caps



July 18, 1939. c. A. MacCORDY METHOD OF MAKING OVERALL BOTTLE CAPS original Filed July 27, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVENTOR. CHA/yar Zr J BY IIII III

A oRNEys.

July 18, 1939- c. A. MaccoRDY I METHOD O MAKING OVER"ALL BOTTLE CAPS Original Filed July 27, 1935 2 Sheets 5heet 2 [N V EN TOR. CH .jdcraj/ A TTORNE YS.

Patented July 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Charles A. MacCordy,

Syracuse, c N. Y., ,assigner lt? Sanitary Metal Cap Corporation, Syracuse,

Original application July 27, v1933, -Serial No.

682,474. Divided and this application .March 15, 1937, Serial N0.-131,096

4 Claims.

y method voi making over-all bottle caps by which the cap is formed in one piece, preferably from a sheet of light, strong and durable metal having a high degree of ductility, malleability and tenacity, such, for example, as tissue aluminum of 10 about the thickness of Cellophane Aor .thin tinfoil capable of being easily molded under pressure to the desired form under atmospheric temperatures and of retaining its form under ordinary usage.

The main object is to produce in one operation a bottle cap of this character with a central cup-shaped portion and a marginal-skirt portion in which the cup-shaped portion is of slightly less diameter than the interior diameter of the mouth of the bottle while the -skirt portion is of slightly greater diameter than that of the head vof the bottle so that the cap may easily drop into place upon the `bottle by its own weight ready to be sealed thereon by any suitable capping machine in a` manner hereinafter described.

Another object is to render the cap self-retaining upon the bottle when applied thereto Without `extra retaining means.

A further object is to form the overturned rim of the cup-shaped portion -with substantially radial ribs and grooves alternating withy each other in regular order for reinforcing and expansion purposes.

One of the-specic objects is to rumple the skirt in an axial direction about its circumference during its formation so as to render it more pliable and therefore more easily expanded and contracted over and upon the mouth of the bottle than would otherwise be possible, the term rumple being used in its broadest sense to indicate irregular and relatively ilne wrinkles.

Other objects relating to the manner of forming the rim corrugations (ribs Vand grooves) and rumpled skirt will be brought out in the follow- 45 ing description.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a top plan of vmy improved bottle cap.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View takenV on Ene 3 3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail horizontal-sectional view of a portion of the skirt of the cap taken on line 4 4, Figure 3.

Figures .5 and 6 vare vertical sectional views respectively ofthe upper and lower sets of dies Afor forming the cap, a Aportion of the sheet from -which thecap is lto be formed beingfshown by dottedrlines Aas resting upon the upper face .of the lower setmof dies, the dies of. both sets being shown in their normal openpositions.

.Figurefl visan inverted end View ofthe upper lset ofdies shown in Figure 5.

`Figure/8 is atop yplan .of the lower set of dies ,shownfin Figure 6.

vFigure9is `an enlarged vertical sectional view .of both-sets .of thedies in their .closed cap-forming` positions.the cap being shown in section.

YFigure .10, is. Van enlarged detail sectional View taken on line I0-I0, Figure 9, showing portions ofthe adjacent ends of .the lower and upper cor- ;rugatingdies, but more particularly the relation .of the cooperative sets oiballs for forming the ribs and .grooves in the rim of the cup-.shaped centrallportion of the cap.

FigureV 11.is enlarged vertical sectional View Aof .onesideofthe upper end of the lower die-post .and lower end of one side of the upper die in .positionto form the `rim corrugations oi the bot- .tle cap. together with a portion of the spring ring in position for rumpling the skirt of theY cap, a :portiontofiwhich is also shown in section, the dotted lines indicating the vposition of the ribs when ..the cap .is finished.

As illustrated more clearly in Figures l vto 3A inclusive and: Figures 9 andV l0, the bottlecap is made vofextremely thin or tissue aluminum or its ,equivalent having a high degree of ,ductility, malleability and tenacity, ,togetherylith inherent lightness and .non-corrodibility, and comprises a substantially cylindrical .cup-shaped central portion l' having an outturned rim2 and a marginal skirt 3, all `of which Aparts Aare arranged about a common axis-representing the axis of the bottle .to which the capis to be applied.

The ,bottle .(not shown) to which the cap is to be applied maybe ,of any well known construction having x`the usual inner annular ledge, the rounded rim, enlarged head, and reduced neck.

The cup-shaped portion l of the cap is of slightly less diameter thanthat of the interior of the .mouthof the bottle to allowit to readily seat itself therein under its own weight preparatory to sealing the same by any suitable capping machine, and lis lprovided with a substantially ilat and horizontal bottomportion l' disposed in a yplane at substantially right angles to the `axis andg'adapted, if necessary, to rest upon the inner V annular ledge of ,the mouth of the bottle.

The rirn 2 of the Cap is concavo-convex in cross-section to conform more or less closely to the rounded contour of the top of the bottle with which it is adapted to engage.

The skirt portion 3 is of slightly greater diameter than the external periphery of the head of the bottle to enable it to readily pass over and around the same during the capping operation.

The overturned rim 2 is provided with raisedY 2':

of the cap takes place only during the cappingv operation.

The ribs 4 are relatively narrow as compared with the width of the grooves 5 but are arranged in uniformly spaced relation circumferentially and are of uniform height to stilfen the rim and thereby to hold the bottom portion I and skirt portion 3 in more or less fixed concentric relation.

The skirt 3 is rumpled or irregularly crinkled axially to enable it to be easily placed over and upon the head of the bottle withoutmaterial friction therewith and at the same .time permitting the lower edges thereof to be easilycontracted around the outer periphery of the head and neck of the bottle under comparatively light inward radial pressure on all parts thereof duringthe capping operation.

The ribs 4 extend substantially radially across the top of the rim 2 and also extend downwardly therefrom along the inner upright side of the rim to points close to but slightly separated from the bottom I so that when the cap is applied to the head of the bottle, the upright inner walls of the cup-shaped portion I may be expanded by a suitable capping die or plunger tightly against the inner periphery of the mouth of .the bottle to effectively prevent the leakage of the contents of the bottle through the joint, leaving the radial portions of the ribs and bottom walls of the grooves 5 in substantially their original positions after having been previously formed.

Specific mechanism is provided for forming the cap as'described so that all portions of the cap may be formed in practically one and the same operation.

As illustrated, this cap forming means comprises a lower set of dies mounted in and upon vertically spaced and relatively stationary supporting members 6 and 6', and an upper set of dies mounted in and upon a vertically movable plunger plate 'I adapted to be reciprocated vertically toward and from the upper frame member 6 by any suitable means, not necessary to herein illustrate or describe. Y

Lower set of dies The lower set of dies preferably comprises a relatively stationary upright post 8 rigidly mounted upon the lower frame member 6 to extend upwardly therefrom, and for this purpose has its lower end reduced in diameter and tightly secured in an opening 2 in said frame member with its lower end substantially coincident with the lower face thereof.

A clamping screw 9 is screwed from the underside upwardly into a central threaded socket I0 in the lower end of the post 9 and is provided ber 6 is preferably cylindrical and of a diameter corresponding to the internal diameter of the skirt 3 of the'cap to be formed on the upper end thereof but somewhat greater than the external diameter of the head of the bottle for a purpose presently described.

The upper end face of the post 8 and upper face of the upper frame member 6 are disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane for receiving and supporting the sheet material as A shown by dotted lines in Figure 6, and from which the cap is to be formed, it being understood that the sheet material may be intermittently fed in any suitable manner from a reel or other source of supply across and upon the upper face of the upper frame member 6'.

The upper outer annular corner of the post 8 is provided with a multiplicity of relatively small substantially hemispherical sockets I2 arranged in relatively close but uniformly spaced relation circumferentially entirely around the periphery of the post for receiving and supporting a corresponding number of relatively small hardened metal balls or bearing members I3 of the same radius as their respective sockets I2.

The diagonally opposite walls of the open sides of the sockets I2 are preferably crimped or swaged against the adjacent portions of their re spective balls to firmly hold the latter in operative position against displacement and preferably against relative rotation so that the outer lateral faces of the balls will be substantially coincident with the adjacent portions of the periphery of the post 8, thus providing the upper outer corner of the post with a corresponding number of rounded or spherical bearings around which the skirt 3 of the cap may be bent, in a manner hereinafter more fully explained.

The top of the post 8 is provided with a circular recess I 6 of somewhat less diameter than the interior diameter of the mouth of the bottle, the

v substantially equal to the external diameter of said cup-shaped portion so that when the latter is pressed into the upper end of the recess and against the upper face of the cushion IT in a manner presently described, it will form the central cup of the cap of somewhat less external diameter than the internal diameter of the mouth of the bottle, as shown in Figure 3.

The object of the resilient cushion I1 is to facilitate the embossing of the bottom of the cup by embossing characters on the lower face of the upper cap-forming die, hereinafter explained.

Provision is made for replacing these cushions from time to time as they become worn, and for this purpose the post 8 is provided with a central lengthwise guide opening I8 extending therethrough and throughthe clamping screw vv9 yfor receiving an ejector rod I9 which extends downwardly through the guide opening I8 and below the lower end of the clamping screw 9, the upper end of said ejector rod being enlarged at 29 to normally rest in a reduced extension of the circular recess I6 and against the lower face of the cushion I'I so that when the cushion becomes worn or otherwise impaired it may be expelled from the recess I6 by upward movementofthe ejector rod I9.

A new cushion may then be inserted from the top downward into and against the bottom of the recess I6 to rest against the upper enlarged end 29 of the ejector stern.

The upper frame member 6' if provided with a circular opening 2| concentric with the axis of the post 8 and of somewhat greater diameter than that of the circular blank from which the cap I is to be formed, the upper end of said opening being enlarged for receiving a hardened metal shearing ring 22 which is secured in place by clamping bolts 23 with its upper face in the same plane as that of the frame member 6" as shown in Figures 6 and 9.

The inner diameter of the shearingv ring 22 is slightly less than that of the underlying portion of the opening 2| and is of the same diameter at the top as that of the flat blank from which the cap is to be formed. Y

A tubular clamping member 24 is telescopically mounted upon the periphery of the upper end 'of the post 8 for relative vertical movement and has its upper end enlarged to the interior diameter of the shearing ring 22 to closely fit therein when in its up position, as shown in Figure 6, said enlargement having its lower end provided with an annular shoulder 25 adapted to engage the underside of the adjacent portion of the ring 22 to limit the upward movement of the tubular clamping member 24.

The vertical depth of the annular enlargement on the upper end of the tubular clamping member 24 is somewhat less than that of the ring 22 but is supplemented by an additional hardened metal ring 26 of the same external diameter as the internal diameter of the ring 22 and'ris secured to the upper face of the tubular clamping member 24 by screws or bolts 26', it being understood that the inner diameter of the ring 26 is equal to the external diameter of the post 8, as shown in Figure 6. v

A spring 21 is interposed between the enlarged upper end of the clamping member 24 and upper face of the lower frame member 6 around the post 8 for yieldingly holding the clamping member 24 in its uppermost position with its shoulders 25 engaging the underside of the ring 22, as shown in Figure 6.

Upper set of dies The upper set of cap forming dies are mounted upon the plunger member 1 and comprises an inverted cylindrical cup-shaped member 28 having its upper end secured by bolts 29 to the underside of the plunger plate 'I to extend downwardly therefrom in coaxial relation to the post 8, the interior diameter of the lower half of the member 28 being somewhat greater than the external diameter of the skirt 3 of the cap I and, therefore, of still greater diameter than the external diameter of the upper end of the post 8 so that when the plunger plate 1 is moved downwardly to its pressing position in the act of forming the skirt 3, the lower end of the member 28. will extend around the upper end of the post in spaced relation thereto, as shown in Figure 9.

. .The top wall of the member 28 is provided with a central pendant boss 39 extending downwardly therefrom coaxial with the post 8 and of considerabiy less external diameter than the internal diameter of the outer portions of the member 28 to `form an intervening annular chamber 3|, the upper half of which is of less diameter than that of the lower half previously mentioned for a purpose presently described.

A cup-forming die 32 is secured to the lower end of the boss 30 by means of a clamping bolt 33 extending centrally through said boss and having its lower end threaded and engaged in a threaded aperture in the die 32 which is held against rotation relatively to said boss by a key or pin 34, as shown in Figures 5 and 9.

The external diameter of the die 32 is equal to theinterior diameter of the cup-shaped portion of the cap I formed thereby but is of somewhat less diameter than that of the interior of the mouth of the bottle.

vA sleeve 35 is reciprocally movable within the chamber 3| around the post 3|] and die 32, the upper end of the sleeve being reduced to about the same diameter as that of the boss while the lower end is enlarged vto about the same diameter as that of the interior of the lower half of the member 28. k

The interior diameter of the remaining portions of the sleeve are substantially the same as 'the external diameter of the die 32 so that the dies and boss and also the interior` walls of the lower half oi the chamber 3| serve to guide the sleeve in its vertical movement, said sleeve being held against angular movement relatively to the member 28 by means of a key 38, Figure 9.

The member 28 extends downwardly from its supporting plate some'distance below the lower face of the cupping die 32 and has its lowerend reduced and threaded externally and engaged by an internally threaded shearing member 3l of the same external diameter as that of the member 28and also of about the same external diameter as the internal diameter of the lower shearing ring 22 with which it is adapted to cooperate for cutting a circular blank from the sheet material -A preparatory to forming the cap, shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

The upper shearing ring 31 is also preferably made of hardened steel and is provided with peripheral recesses 31 for receiving a Spanner wrench or `equivalent by which it may be tightened and loosened when assembling or disassembling the parts of the upper cap-forming dies. The portion of the shearing ring 3l below the lower end of the member 28 is provided with a concave annular groove 38 in which is seated the outer periphery of a circular coil spring 39, the innerperiphery of which extends slightly beyond the inner face of the adjacent end of the member 28 and is of about'l the same or slightly less diameter than the external diameter of the post 8.

That is,-the coil spring 39 is loosely seated in the annular groove 38 so that it may turn more or less freely therein and is held against displacement therefrom under its own tension, it being understood that the helixes of the spring will be ar- -ranged in close proximity to each other, particularly at the inner side ofthe coil for rumpling the skirt of the'bottle cap during the cap-forming operation.

the lower end vface of the ring 31 is beveled upwardly and inwardly and that thecoil spring 39 projects inwardly beyond the lower wall of the groove 38 while the upper edge .of the spring abuts against the lower end face of the member'28 to cooperate with the lower wall of the groove 38 in holding the spring against vertical displacement.

The inwardly protruding portionsofV4 the coil spring 39 serve as a stop for engagingl the lower end ofthe sleeve 35 and thereby limiting the downward movement of said sleevewhen the upper set of dies is raised to its normal position so that the lower end face of the sleeve 35 will normally be displaced in about the same horizontal plane as the lower end face of the member 28 and upper face of the coil spring 39, as shown in Figure 5.

The lower end face of the sleeve 35 is provided with a multiplicity of relatively small substantially hemispherical recesses 40 for receiving a corresponding number of hardened metal balls or bearing members 4I, the recesses and balls being arranged in uniformly spaced relation circumferentially a slightly greater distance from the axis of the sleeve 35 than the balls I3, but in relatively close proximity to each other at the lower outer corner of the sleeve.

The number of balls 4I and recesses 4U corresponds to the number of balls I3 in the upper end of the post B, but are arranged in opposed but slightly oiset radial relation to those of the other set as shown in Figure 9, to facilitate the corrugation of the rim 2 of the cap I and thereby to form the ribs 4 and groove 5 in a manner hereinafter described.

The length of the area of each of the sockets 40 is slightly greater than half the circumference of each of the balls so that after the balls have been placed in operative position in said sockets the inner walls thereof may be crimped or swaged inwardly to hold the balls in their oper` ative positions with their lower portions projecting slightly beyond the lower end face of the sleeve 35.

A collar 42 is slidably mounted upon the periphery of the lower portion of the cup-shaped member 28 for relative vertical movement thereof and is provided with vertically elongated slots 43 for receiving radial guide pins 44 which are screwed into the adjacent sides of the member 28 for holding the collar against angularmovement relatively to the member 28 While permitting its free vertical movement.

This collar normally extends downwardly a short -distance below the lower end face of the shearing ring 31 and is adapted to cooperate with the upper face of the shearing ring 22 for holding the sheet material in xed position during the shearing cooperation of the ring 31 with the shearing ring 22.

The upper ends of the slots 43 are closed to cooperate with the pins 44 for limiting the downward movement of the collar 42.

Suitable guide rods 45 are secured to the plate 1 to extend downwardly therefrom at opposite sides of the member 28, the lower ends of said rods being extended through lregistering apertures 46 in the upper end of the collar to assist in guiding the latter in its vertical movement.

Suitable coil springs 41 are interposed between the upper end of the collar 42 and lower face of the plate 1 around the rods 45 for yieldingly holding the collar in its extreme downward position, as shown in Figure 5.

The lower end of the cupping die 3'2 is provided with a multiplicity of vertically elongated peripheral slots 32', Figures 5 and 7, arranged in uniformly; spaced circumferential relation corresponding 'to the spacing of the balls 4I for receiving the inner ends of the ribs 4 of the bottle cap I as the central portionthereof is depressed by the vdie 42 into the upper end of the opening .I6in the top of the'lower die post 8, as will be hereinafter .more fully described.

Operation Assuming that the plunger plate 1 and dies carried thereby are in their normal positions with relation to the lower die-supporting frame, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, and that the sheet metal from which the caps, shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, are to be formed is fed across and upon the upper face of the upper frame member 6 to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 6. l 'I'he plunger plate 1 and parts carried thereby are then moved downwardly until the lower end ofthe collarV 42 engages the upper face of the sheet A to clamp and to temporarily hold the sheet in position to be cut upon the upper face of the ring 22.

Immediately following this engagement of the lower end of the yielding collar 42 with the sheet material, the continued downward movement of the plunger plate 1 will bring the cutter ring 31 into shearing engagement with the lower shearing ring 22 for cutting a circular disk from the sheet material of the same diameter as the interior diameter of the shearing ring 22.

Simultaneously with this cutting operation, the pressure of the downwardly moving shearing ring 31 and coil spring 39 upon the marginal edge of the disk will bend said marginal edge downwardly around the outer faces of the balls I3, at the same time depressing the sleeve 24 against the action of its retracting spring 21.

Then, as the downward movement of the upper set of dies continues', the collar 42 will be yieldingly held in its clamping pogition by means of the springs 41 against the upper face of the lower cutter ring 22 so lthat after the cutting operation just described, the downward bending of the marginal edge of the previously cut disk will continue through the engagementA of the inner face of the coil spring 39 therewith and before the lower end of the die 32 has been As previously stated, the annular coil spring 39 isvfree to roll in its annular bearing 38 with more or less irregularity throughout its length, the effect of which is to rumple the downwardly turned skirt portion of the disk around the upper end of the post 8in that the wrinkles or crinkles will be formed by the inner sides of the numerous helices of the coil spring which presses the skirt against the periphery of the post, it being understoodthat-the inner sides of the coil spring will be more or less compressed by reason of their engagement with said skirt during the descent of the plunger plate 1 and parts carried thereby.

The normal distance between the lower face of the upper die member 32 and horizontal center of the spring 39 is greater than the depth of theskirtr3 of the finished bottle cap so that as skirt portions 3, the die member 32 will engage and depress the central portion of the disk into the upper end of the opening I6 and against the upper face of the cushion I1, thereby drawing the skirt upwardly and inwardly between the opposed sets of balls I3 and 4I to form the ribs 4 and grooves 5 which ribs will then extend across the rim 2 and downwardly along the inner sides thereof to points near the bottom I of the cupshaped portion of the disk, as shown more clearly in Figure 3, thus completing the formation of the bottle cap as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Previously to engagement of the die 32 with the central portion of the disc, the die sleeve 35 which carries the balls 40 at its lower end will engage the intermediate portion of the disc so as to impose the weight of the sleeve 35 upon the disc as the plunger plate 1 and dies carried thereby are lowered, thereby yiedlingly holding the intermediate portion of the disc between the balls 4l) and I3 so as to permit the upward and inward movement of the skirt as the central portion of the disc is depressed by the die 32 near the end of the downward stroke of the plunger plate 1.

After the bottle cap has been formed in the manner described, the plunger plate 1 with the dies thereon will be elevated to their normal up positions, as shown in Figure 5, thus permitting the sleeve 24 to be returned upwardly to its starting position by its springs 21 for stripping or ejecting the finished bottle cap from the top of the post 8 during which operation the collar 42 will be returned downwardly to its lowermost starting position by the springs 41 while the upper die sleeve 35 will be returned to its normal down position by its' own weight or by other means, if required, the apparatus being then in position for a repetition of the operation described for forming other similar caps.

The lower end of the skirt of the cap will then be in the opening in the sheet material from which the bottle cap disk was previously cut and, as the sheet is again moved to register another portion thereof with andY between the opposed sets of dies, the finished cap will be carried forwardly therewith to one side of the dies where it is free to drop through the opening onto the head of the bottle to be capped or may be removed by hand or otherwise for subsequent placement upon the head of the bottle preparatory to sealing the same thereon by a suitable capping machine, not shown.

When the nished bottle cap has been placed upon the head of the bottle in any manner with its cup-shaped portion in the mouth thereof and its skirt portion surrounding the head and adjacent portion of the neck of said bottle, the peripheral walls of the cup-shaped portion will be expanded against the walls of said mouth while the skirt portion will be compressed against the outer periphery of the head and neck to firmly hold the cap in place against accidental displacement and at the same time to form a liquid-tight and air-tight joint with the bottle, it being understood that the bottom of the skirt will then be compressed around the neck of the bottle just below the bead or roll on the head thereof.

Any suitable capping machine or other means may be employed for applying the finished cap to and sealing it upon the head of the bottle in the manner described, and it is to be understood that the present invention relates to the construction of the cap and the method of and apparatus for making the same including any equivalents thereof irrespective of the means for applying the nished cap to the bottle except insofar as disclosed.

It will be noted upon reference to Figures 9 and 11, that the balls 4I project slightly below the lower end face of the die sleeve 35 to form an annular space so that when the dies are closed upon the cap in the act of forming the ribs 4 and grooves 5, the upwardly projecting radial ribs may be readily drawn into and through said space while the lower faces of the grooved portions are free to move across and upon the upper end face of the lower die 8.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The herein described method of making bottle caps from sheet material consisting in cutting a disc from the sheet, bending the marginal portions of the disc axially in one direction to form a cap skirt, depressing the central portion of the disc into cup-shaped form, and corrugating the rim of the cap simultaneously with the depression of the central portion.

2. The method of making bottle caps from a fiat sheet of foil consisting in cutting from the sheet a disc of sufcient area to cover the mouth and surround the head and a portion of the neck of the bottle, yieldingly holding the intermediate portion of the disc, bending the marginal portions of the disc in one direction to form a skirt, cupping the central portion of the disc in the same direction and thereby pulling the skirt in the opposite direction, and corrugating the rim of the cupped portion during the cupping operation.

3. The method of making a bottle cap from a disc of sheet foil consisting in yieldingly holding the intermediate portion of the disc between opposed elements, cupping the central portion of the disc while yieldingly holding the intermediate portion thereof between said elements to pull the marginal portions of the disc inwardly, and corrugating the rim of the cup during said inward pulling operation.

4. The herein described method of making articles from a disc of sheet material, which comprises yieldingly holding the intermediate portion of the disc between opposed dies having peripherally spaced and correspondingly opposed spherical bearing surfaces disposed adjacent to the margins of said dies, pressing the marginal portions of the disc in one direction around the periphery of one of the dies, and then depressing the central portion of the disc into an opening in one of the dies whereby to pull the marginal portions of the disc in the opposite direction and between the spherical surfaces aforesaid while yieldingly held between the dies so as to corrugate a portion of the disc during its formation by the dies into the finished article.

CHARLES A. MACCORDY. 

